1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a chair riser or support assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to chair riser assembly for use in selectively supporting a chair at varying elevations so as to enable the user of the chair and chair riser assembly to more easily rise from a seated position upon the riser-supported chair.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,645 ('645 patent), which issued to Crockett, discloses a Lifting Apparatus for a Seating Structure. The '645 patent describes an apparatus for elevating and lowering a freestanding seating structure, such as a house chair, recliner, or sofa. The apparatus is comprised of a base, an elevator assembly, a power assembly connected between the base and the elevator assembly, and a control assembly.
The elevator assembly releasably receives supports, elevates and lowers the seating structure. The power assembly provides power and supports and moves the elevator assembly. The control assembly controls the power assembly and the position of the elevator assembly relative to the base. The invention also includes riser arms which are pivotally connected between the base and the elevator assembly for structurally supporting the stabilizing the elevator assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,715,840 ('840 patent), which issued to Martin, discloses a Furniture Support System. The '840 patent describes a furniture support system for elevating and angling furniture to assist individuals in standing up from a seated position. The furniture support system includes at least one first support member, and at least one second support member wherein the first support member is shorter in height than the second support member.
The support members are preferably constructed of a tapered structure with a broad lower end and a narrow upper end. At the upper end of each of the support members a cavity extends downwardly for receiving the leg of furniture member. A support plate may be attached to the bottom edge of a couch or other type of furniture that does not contain legs to ensure proper placement with the cavities of the support members.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,104,603 ('603 patent), which issued to Keegan et al., discloses a Booster Seat. The '603 patent describes an adjustable booster-type seat having a base for supporting the seat on a flat surface, a riser mounted for height adjustment on the base, a body support having a seat and back mounted for arcuate motion on the riser for changing the angular position of the body support and being adjustable in height by virtue of the adjustability of the riser on the base. A restraint bar is detachably connected to the body support and in turn adjustably carries a tray enabling the tray to be moved toward and away from the back and to be mounted at different angles with respect to the body support.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,988,236 ('236 patent), which issued to Brandtner, discloses an Integrated Base Assembly. The '236 patent describes a sofa having a furniture base assembly that is easily assembled without the need of a jig or fixture, provides for a reduced number of component parts, and provides for aesthetically pleasing base assembly joints. In one embodiment, the front rail member and the back rail member are integrally formed with the corner block members, side rails are connected thus forming an integrated rail member and thereby dispensing with a base joint exposed on the front of the furniture product. The base is affixed to the sofa frame and upholstery is attached to the frame for providing a finished sofa with a base.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0124681, which was authored by Dubrul et al., describes an Easy Riser Chair Lifter Apparatus and certain Methods of Use. Dubrul et al. describe devices that raise the height of a chair so that the effort to raise oneself from a sitting position is decreased. The device can be adapted to most any chair. Additionally the authors describe locking mechanism that prevents rocking or reclining to occur when the chairs are placed in the raised position.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0063112, which was authored by Patterson, describes a Collapsible Furniture Frame Method and Apparatus. Patterson describes a collapsible furniture frame comprising a plurality of elongated members having a tongue portion on each end. A key device has a first portion coupled to a surface of the elongated member near its end. The key device has a second portion configured according to a predetermined shape, such as a cylinder.
Each elongated member has a pair of key devices. A receiving block may be configured with a pair of grooves for receiving tongue portions for a pair of elongated members. The pair of grooves may be on adjacent sides so that the elongated members create a right angle relationship to each other when coupled to the receiving block. Each receiving block has a pair of key receptors configured to receive the predetermined shape so that the elongated member is in a lockable relationship with the receiving block.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0221800, which was authored by Levin, describes a Portable Device and Method for Raising the Height of Furniture. Levin's furniture-raising device described herein is collapsible, portable, stable, and easy to use. The device is designed to raise furniture to one or two preset increases in height. Preferably the device is used to raise the height of a chair. In one embodiment, the device contains a plurality of arms and a center base, where each arm is pivotably attached at a predetermined point in the base using a pin.
The locations for attachment of the pins are selected to be spaced far enough apart from each other to allow the arms to rotate about the pins from a first position, where the arms align with the legs in the article of furniture, to a second position, where the arms are aligned in the same general direction (i.e. the “storage position”), and to maximize the ability of the device to be as compact as possible in the storage position.
In a second embodiment, the device contains a plurality of arms and a center base, where each arm is pivotably and slidably attached to the base using a pin. In a third embodiment, the furniture raising device is designed to increase the device's strength and prevent breakage. In this embodiment, at least one portion of the center base either contacts the floor when the device is in use or hovers above the floor by at least approximately 1 mm.
As will be understood from a consideration of the foregoing art hereinabove being cited as exemplary to the state of the art, that there does not appear to be a chair riser assembly disclosed in the prior art that essentially comprises four corner post assemblies, two width adjustment assemblies, and two chair support assemblies arranged in such a manner so as to provide a chair riser assembly for supporting a chair in an elevated position relative to a primary support surface, which chair riser assembly essentially comprises a series of corner post assemblies, certain dynamically dimensioned lateral width adjustment means and certain fixed length laterally-opposed chair support means. Accordingly, the prior art perceives a need for such a chair riser assembly as briefly summarized in more detail hereinafter.